ippake-ni; deer call

Deer call, Ainu name 'Ipakke-Ni'. Made from a single piece of lightweight wood, in the shape of a trapezium with the mouth hole in a tube midway on the longest side. The two ends of this side terminate in round knobs. In profile, the body tapers inwards away from the mouthpiece. A window or mouth is positioned in the centre of the top face. The rest of the top is covered with a piece of mammal (probably deer) skin, glued in place and tied with vegetable fibre threads that are wrapped round the body. The threads are also tied to the knobs at each side and are tied together above the mouthpiece to form a carrying strap.